Bungoma County Government has partnered with a health organisation to combat rising cases of bilharzia.

County Sanitation Officer, Micah Nyairo, says the collaboration has led to a decrease in bilharzia infections in the villages following free distribution of deworming drugs to schools and the community at large.

Apart from the distribution of deworming drugs, the Africa Institute for Health Development (AIHD), which has partnered with the county, has also been carrying out community sensitisation programmes on hygiene.

“Poor sanitation has been our biggest challenge in fighting the spread of bilharzia and intestinal worms. We have been educating the community on the importance of practising water, sanitation and hygiene,” said Nyairo.

Become weak

Nyair,o however, encouraged Bungoma residents to take advantage of the mass drug distribution of the deworming medication, pointing out that these neglected tropical diseases have adverse effects that reduce productivity.

“Once one is infected with bilharzia, they become weak and cannot carry out their duties, children miss school, hence reducing the school attendance rate,” he said.

Despite these efforts to curb bilharzia, Bungoma is still reporting a high number of infections that have been attributed to low pit latrine coverage, which indicates that people are still practising open defecation in the villages.

“We have noted that some residents are still defecating in bushes and river sources, which increases the risks of spreading the disease. People should build more pit latrines,” Nyairo said.

The county’s pit latrine coverage stands at 86.6 per cent, which remains below the desired target needed to curb the spread of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), including bilharzia.

“Our target is to achieve 100 per cent latrine coverage. At 86.6 per cent, we are still falling short. This gap continues to fuel the spread of bilharzia and other neglected tropical diseases,” Nyairo said.

He says that NTDs are a group of infectious diseases caused by various pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins.

These diseases often have severe health, social and economic impacts, particularly in low-income regions.

The World Health Organisation reports that over 1 billion people globally are affected by NTDs, with 1.4 billion in need of preventive or curative interventions.  

Their spread is often linked to environmental factors such as poor sanitation, limited access to clean water and exposure to contaminated sources.

Nyairo stressed that open defecation remains a major driver of NTDs in Bungoma.

“Every household must have a functional latrine, and open defecation directly contributes to the transmission of these diseases. It’s not just about dignity, it’s a health necessity,” he added.

The sanitation officer further noted that many locals still bathe and carry out domestic activities in rivers, which increases the risk of disease transmission to other water users.

Nyairo pointed out that only 7 out of the county’s 45 wards have achieved a latrine coverage rate of 97 per cent, putting them on track to be declared open defecation free (ODF).

Dr Dickens Lubanga, a paediatrician at Bungoma County Referral Hospital, urged residents to fully support ongoing deworming campaigns, citing a sharp rise in parasitic infections among children and a corresponding increase in cases of iron deficiency anaemia.

“We have seen a significant number of children presenting with iron deficiency anaemia and even severe intestinal complications caused by heavy worm infestations,” he noted.

“These conditions are entirely preventable if communities take up the deworming initiative seriously,” he said.

Dr Lubanga encouraged parents to ensure their children are dewormed every three months, and adults at least every six months.

Become weal

He stressed the importance of hand washing with soap and running water after using the toilet, noting that many of these parasites spread through the oral-faecal route.

He also urged people to avoid contact with stagnant water to reduce the risk of contracting bilharzia. Simple hygiene practices, he said, can go a long way in curbing the spread of these diseases.

In response to the high burden of NTDs, the county has scheduled a mass deworming exercise from June 23 to 27, 2025.

The campaign will be conducted across schools and households, led by Community Health Promoters (CHPs).

“We are urging full cooperation from all residents,” said Robert Wetoto, the county’s NTDs Coordinator.